Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi has reportedly approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to use their authority over the Board of Control of Cricket (BCCI) to ask them the play the Asia Cup 2023 in the hybrid model proposed by them.
The Pakistan Cricket Board proposed that India could play their games in Dubai, but the BCCI has opposed the hybrid model of hosting the tournament proposed by Pakistan, as India wants the entire event to be moved out of the hosting nation Pakistan.
According to the reports in Inside Sport, BCCI Official said that India will take a strong stance on opposing the hybrid model of cricket and reckons that Pakistan will accept the decision by the Asian Cricket Council of moving the tournament out of the country and is optimistic about Pakistan playing the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup later this year.
“Those are just immediate reactions. PCB very well knows what position they are in and any money that comes through is important for them. I don’t think Pakistan can boycott. They will play in Asia Cup and World Cup. For the moment, they are trying whatever they can to keep it but it’s not going to happen,” BCCI official told Inside Sport.
Earlier according to PTI, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have agreed to the BCCI’s demand of moving the Asia Cup 2023 out of Pakistan, as hosting the event in two countries would not be economically feasible for Asian Cricket Council and it was said that Pakistan has two options, as they can play in the neutral venue or back out of the tournament.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi had a meeting alongside ICC president Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice over the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 tussle among the neighbouring nations, as they wanted the International Cricket Council’s involvement in Pakistan hosting the event and the Men in Green is also awarded the hosting rights of Champions trophy 2025, which also be in trouble if India refuses to visit Pakistan.
“We will know next week as there will be an ACC meeting in Dubai after WTC. Some concerns need addressing and after that, we will have the schedule for Asia Cup.”
Pakistan could take some bold moves if the tournament is moved out of the country and the huge decision could very well affect Pakistan’s chances of participating in this year’s 50-over World Cup, scheduled to be held in India in October-November, as Najam Sethi said that Pakistan would not visit India if the Men in Blue refused to play the Asia Cup in Hybrid Model.